Meta-analysis casts doubt on efficacy of oxytocin

The hormone oxytocin enhances social recognition and social memory, and some studies have indicated that children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have lower blood levels of oxytocin than neurotypical children. However, treatment with intranasal oxytocin does not appear to be an effective treatment for adults with ASD, according to a meta-analysis by researchers in Iran. 

Zahra Kiani and colleagues identified ten randomized controlled trials investigating the use of intranasal oxytocin for ASD. They report, “No study corroborated the efficacy of oxytocin for the treatment of anxiety and repetitive behavior. One out of four studies reported clinical improvement in severity, and one out of six studies indicated improvement in social function.” Overall, the researchers say, their analysis showed no efficacy in the treatment of anxiety, repetitive behavior, or social function, and no effect on autism severity.

Citations

“Oxytocin effect in adult patients with autism: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials,” Zahra Kiani, Tahereh Farkhondeh, Hamed Aramjoo, Michael Aschner, Hossein Beydokhti, Aliakbar Esmaeili, Morteza Arab-Zozani, and Saeed Samarghandian, CNS & Neurological Disorders—Drug Targets, 2022 (online). Address: Saeed Samarghandian, Noncommunicable Diseases Research Center, Neyshabur University of Medical Sciences, Neyshabur, Iran.